Why I Switched to Scan Credits
Hey Indie Hackers 👋
I’m building TrackMySitemap — a tool that scans and analyzes your website's sitemap for SEO issues (like pages blocked in robots.txt, missing from sitemap.xml, poor structure, etc).
The problem I ran into:
Originally, scans ran on a cron-based system, depending on subscription level (e.g., weekly for Starter, daily for Pro). It was simple but had two issues:
Users wanted more control — not everyone wants automatic scans.
It felt abstract — users weren’t sure what they were paying for or what would happen next.
So I switched to a Scan Credits model
Now users can launch scans manually, and each scan costs a credit. This made things:
Clearer: "1 scan = 1 credit"
More flexible: You use credits when you need
Easier to explain in pricing
Next step: pricing model
Right now I’m thinking about:
Monthly Plan – $15/mo for active users
Lifetime Plan – $100 one-time for early adopters (includes a certain number of scan credits)
Free Tier – for trial/lead gen (limited scans & features)
My questions for you:
Have you tried credit-based models in your SaaS? Did it help retention or clarity?
What do you think about offering both monthly and lifetime pricing?
Does this make the offer clearer or more confusing?Any examples of tools you love that nailed this balance?
Would love to hear your feedback — and if you're curious, the app is live:
https://trackmysitemap.com
Love this pivot, Oleg. 🙌 The scan credit model makes a ton of sense, especially for SEO tools where needs vary a lot. Giving users control while keeping things simple (1 scan = 1 credit) is a clarity win.
On pricing: I think combining monthly + lifetime works if the messaging clearly highlights who each plan is for. Maybe something like:
Monthly: For ongoing SEO monitoring
Lifetime: For builders who just want occasional checks, no strings
Free: Just enough to show value
I’ve seen tools like Screaming Frog and sitebulb balance models like this with great success but your credit system actually feels more user centered.
Also, love how you’re iterating in public. If you ever want copy support to sharpen your landing page or user flow, happy to help!
Thank you for such a detailed comment!
When choosing a pricing model, I relied on AI services where for tokens you can get images, video, audio, etc.
But have seen a few services with a pay by the month or lifetime access model and something I liked about it. But I will not implement this model yet... just finished with Scan Credits :)
"If you ever want copy support to sharpen your landing page or user flow, happy to help!”
Much appreciated, when they start buying subscriptions then I will contact you straight away!
Pricing model sounds thoughtful too...
These are common names, but deciding which one to choose is very difficult